Windmill wheel



Sept. 16, 1930. A. c. ACKERMAN wnwum, WHEEL Filed Sept. :5. 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR o fl; dflcierman ATTORNEY Sept. 16, 1930.-

A. c. AcKERMAN WINDIILL WHEEL Filod sa i. 3. 1927 2 Shoots-Sheep 2 11. fi s/term an INVENTOR ATTO R N EY Patented Sept. 16, 1930 ALBERT C. .ACKERMAN,'OF JEANNETTE,' PENNSYLVANIA WINDMILL WHEEL Application filed September This invention relates to a windmill wheel, the general object of the invention being to provide a wheel with pivoted blades or vanes and governor means for adjusting the pitch of the blades or vanes so as to controlthe speed of the wheel.

Another object of the invention is to provide manually operated means which are as sociated with the governor means for placing the blades edgewise to the wind when it is desired to stop the rotation of the wheel.

This invention also consists in certain other features of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, to be hereinafter fully described,*i-llustrated in the accompanying drawings and specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

In describing my invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawings wherein like characters denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which I i Y Figure 1 is a rear View wheel. a

Figure 2 is a section on line 2--2 of F igure 1.

Figure 3 is a detail sectional view through a portion of the shaft and the collars thereon.

Figure 4 is a section on line H of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a section on line 55 of Figure 3.

Figure 6 is an edge view showing one of the pivots of one of the blades.

Figure 7 is a section on line 77 of Figure 2.

In these views, 1 indicates the shaft of the windmill which carries the wheel and 2 indicates the hub of the wheel which is fastened to the shaft. The spokes 3 of the wheel are fastened to the inner ring 1 and the outer ring 5, these rings supporting the blades or vanes 6. These vanes are preferably of the shape shown and a pivot 7 is arranged at each end of each blade, the outer pivots engaging the outer ring and the inner pivots the inner ring. The rear edge of each blade has a number of cars 8 thereon and links 9 are pivotally connected with these cars, each link of the improved a, 1927. Serial No. 217,473.

connecting a blade with an adjacent blade so that the blades must move in unison. Some of the pivotal pins ofthe links are extended inwardly as shown at 10 and the inner ends of these pins have rounded heads. The drawings show two of these pins as being extended. A ring 11 is connected bythe spokes 12 with the rear part of the hub and upper and lower governor arms 13 are pivoted intermediate their ends to this ring. The two arms are connected together by the links 14: and a projection 15 extends outwardly from each arm and has a rounded outer end and a link 16, having a socket at each end, connects each projection 15 with the extension pin 10, the sockets of the links engaging the rounded ends of the pins and projections so that the movement of the governor arms will be communicated to the blades. The governor arm's carry the usual weights 17 and a coil spring 18 has one end connected witheach arm and 1' its other end to a projection 19 on the ring 11, the latter connection being an adjustable one so that the tension of the spring can be regulated.

A collar, 20 is fastened to the shaft land a grooved collar 21 is keyed to the shaft so that it has slidingmovement thereon but is held against rotary movement. A coil spring 22 on the shaft abuts the collar 21 and a collar 23 fastened to the shaft and tends to hold the collar .21 against the collar 20. L-shaped arms 24. are pivoted to the collar21 and have their short portions extendingover the short ends of the governor arms. Slotted links are pivoted to the collar 20 and a pin 26 on each arm 24; carries a roller 27 which engages the slot in each link 25. Thus when I tended pins 10, so that the blades will be rocked on their pivots and in this manner the resistance the blades offer to the wind can be adjusted, which will control the speed of the wheel. When the blades are moved to an extent which will place them edgewise to the wind, the wheel will come to rest, as will be understood.

A bell crank 28 is pivoted to a part of the windmill and has one end engaging the groove in the collar 21 and its other end is attached to a cable 29 so that a person standing on the ground can adjust the collarto regulate the speed of the Wheel as before described or to entirely stop thewh'eel by moving the blades to a position where they will extend edgewise to the wind.

From the foregoing; it will be seen that I have provided governor means which are adjustable for regulating the speed of the wheel according to the strength of the wind by adj usting the vanes of the wheel and also manually operated means for controlling the speed or for stopping the wheel.

It will, of course, be understood that the parts may be enclosed in a suitable casing or housing if desired or necessary.

It is thought from the foregoing description that the advantages and novel features of my invention will be readily apparent.

I desire it to be understood that I may make changes in the construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, provided that such changes fall within the scope of the appended claims.

IVhat I claim is '1. A windmill wheel comprising a hub, spokes connected therewith, inner and outer concentric rings carried by the spokes, blades having their ends pivotally supported between said rings, means for connecting the blades together so that they will move in their ends pivotally supported by the rings, ears on the rear edges of the blades adjacent their inner ends, links connecting the blades together, each end of each link extending between a pair of ears, pivot pins pivotally connecting the links with the ears, some of the pins being extended inwardly toward the hub, a small ring connected with the hub and wholly arranged at one side of the wheel, a pair of governor arms pivotally connected intermediate'their. ends to said small ring, a weight on one end of each arm, a spring connecting the weighted part of each arm to the small ring, links connecting the arms together, an outwardly extending projection on each arm, and a link connecting each projection with the extended part of said pivot pin.

3. A windmill wheel comprising a hub, spokes connected therewith, inner and outer rings carried by the spokes, blades having their ends pivotally supported by the rings, ears on the rear edges of the blades adjacent their inner ends, links connecting the blades together, each end of each link extending between a pair of ears, pivot pins pivotally connecting the links with the ears, some of the pinsbeingextended inwardly toward the hub, a small ring connected with the-hub and wholly arranged at one side of the wheel, a pair of governor arms pivotally 7.

connected intermediate their ends to said small ring, a weight on one end of each arm, a spring connecting the weighted part of each arm to the small ring, links connecting the arms together, an outwardly extending projection on each arm, a link connecting each projection. withthe extended" part of said pivot pin, andmeans for setting the governor for predetermined speeds ofsaid wheel.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature.

unison, a small ring carried by the hub and arranged wholly toone side of the wheel, a governor connected with said-small ring and comprising av pair of arms pivotally supported intermediate their ends, weights on said arms, springs for yieldingly holding the arms against movement, means for connecting the arms with the blades, means for setting the governor for predetermined speedsof the wheel, said means including a collar slidably mounted ron the shaft of the wheel, arms pivotally connected with the collar and having portions engaging the arms of the governor, slotted arms connected with the shaft and having their, slotted portions engaging. the parts on the arms carried by the collar, andmeans for. moving the collar so that the slotted arms will cause the arms-on the collar tovpress the arms of the inwardly for the purpose specified. j

windmill wheel comprising a hub, spokes-connectedtherewith, inner and outer governor rings= carried; byi the spokes, blades having 

